James Adair (historian) facts for kids
James Adair (born around 1709, died 1783) was from County Antrim, Ireland. He traveled to North America and became a trader. He worked with the Native American tribes of the Southeastern Woodlands.
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Life of James Adair
James Adair lived in North America for 40 years, starting in 1735. He was often far away from other European settlements. From 1744, he mostly lived among the Chickasaw people. In 1751, Adair moved to Laurens County, South Carolina.
Adair and the Choctaw Tribe
In the 1740s, Adair led a British trade mission. This was during King George's War. He wanted to convince the Eastern Choctaw tribe to support the British. At that time, the French had a strong influence over them.
Adair worked closely with Chief Red Shoes. Red Shoes was a leader who favored the British. This led to a serious conflict among the Choctaw people. Chief Red Shoes was killed in 1749. Adair had worked under the orders of James Glen, who was the governor of South Carolina. However, Adair later strongly blamed Governor Glen for the mission failing. He also said he lost his own money because of it.
Fighting in the French and Indian Wars
In the 1760s, Adair led a group of Chickasaw warriors. They fought against the French during the French and Indian Wars. These wars ended in 1763 with the Treaty of Paris (1763). As a result, most French land east of the Mississippi River became part of the British colonies.
Book: History of the American Indians
In 1775, James Adair decided to write a book. Some close friends, like Sir William Johnson, 1st Baronet, encouraged him. He had many notes from his time living with Native Americans.
What the Book Was About
Adair's book was called The History of the American Indians. It talked about their origins, language, and customs. He hoped his book would correct wrong ideas people had about Native American cultures. He knew it was hard to get information because the tribes were private.
His book was important for showing how Native Americans and English traders interacted. It was even translated into German in 1782. Adair spent a lot of time in his book discussing a theory. He believed that American Indians might be descended from the lost ten tribes of ancient Israel. He pointed out similarities between Jewish and Native American customs. For example, he noted their division into tribes and ideas about a great spirit.
Impact of Adair's Work
The second half of his book focused more directly on specific tribes. These included the Katahba, Cheerake, Muskohge, Choktah, and Chikkasah Nations. Adair's map of Native American nations has also been used in other historical works.
